Automobile door lock



May 10, 1938. w MCCLUNG 2,117,192

` AUTOMOBILEDOOR LOCK 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 18, 1957 May 10, 1938. wl MCCLUNG AUTOMOBILE yDOR LOCK Filed Maron 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 i iIl muu @MIM Fly. 4

- mvENroR ATTORNEY May 10, 193.8. w. MCCLUNG A 2,117,192

AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCK Filed March 18, 1957 n 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 W. MCCLUNG May 1Q, 1938.

- AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCK Filed MaICh 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Patented May 10, 1938 PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE DOO-R LOCK Winsbcro McClung, Merrick, N. Y., assigner of one-half to Benjamin C. Streng, New York, N. Y.

Application March 18, 1937,` Serial No. 131,690

2 Claims.`

This invention relates to motor car construction and more particularly refers to improvements in the construction and equipment of automobile bodies. Y

,i It is now the general practice to equip `the doors of automobile bodies with a manually operable lock having a handle projecting frorrrthe surface of the door. 'I'he handle is usually carried by a horizontal shaft mounted transversely cf l() the automobile door and its operation calls for a turning movement of the hand and arm. of the operator.

This type of arrangement which, as stated, is to be found in practically all present day cars,

L; is objectionable mainly on the ground that the projecting handle at each side of the car is a constant source of danger. Numerous accidents have taken place directly due to a door handle becoming entangled in clothes of a person in proximity of one of its doors and leaning to- Wards the inside of the car when the car is started, or by striking some object while a car is traveling at a high speed.

'Ihis danger is especially pronounced in con nection with certain types of cars which are equipped with a disappearing or tiltable runningboard, making it possible for a person to stand quite close to the outer surface of the body of the car.

The turning or twisting movement required for the operation of the lock handle is also to a certain extent objectionable because such a handle is more diflicult to operate than a pull out handle and, therefore, makes it harder for 5 women or aged persons to open a car door.

Still another objection that could be raised against the projecting style of door handles is that it breaks the continuity of the body structure and does not fit well with the artistic and 40 practical requirements of the streamlining trend which is now bringing such radical changes in the appearance and design of motor car bodies.

The primary object of this invention is to provide, in a motor car body, a door equipped With a 45 lock operable by a handle which does not materially project from the outer surface of the door or which is entirely housed within a recess purposely formed in the door, so that the handle while remaining entirely accessible will not at all 50 project from the plane of the outer door surface.

Another object is to provide an automobile door with a recess across which the handle of a lock with which the door is equipped can extend 55 .substantially without projecting from the surface of the door and leaving a clearance between said handle and the bottom of said recess permitting the insertion of the fingers on ones hand for conveniently gripping "and operating the lock handle.

A further object is to provide a motor car door having its outer surface `formed with a recess across which the handle of a lock with which the door is equipped may extend substantially Without projecting from the surface of the door, said lock having an actuating member of the pull out type operated by said handle, and said handle being hingedly connected to the door so as to be tiltable about an axisrsubstantially parallel to the surface of the door.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear as the description proceeds and Will be set forth and claimed in the appended claims.

p My invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a View in perspective of a portion of an automobile door embodying one form of my inventon; i

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on an enlarged scale through line 2--2 of Fig. 1; 25

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross section of the same showing the bolt in its door releasing position;

Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the bolt in its locking position;

Fig. 5 is a View in perspective of an automobile 30 doo-r, embodying another form of my invention;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section through the door and lock shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a horizontal cross section through the same, showing the bolt in its door releasing position; and i Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the bolt in its locking position.

Referring to Figs. l to 4, I0 designates an automobile door provided with a recess Il, which is 40 preferably lined with a metallic cup l2, having a flange portion I3, the outer surface of which is flush with the outer surface `of the door.

The recess thus formed into the outer surface of the door makes it possible for a lock handle to be housed within the recess, leaving the necessary clearance between the handle and the bottom of the recess for the insertion of the fingers and the exertion thereby of an eirlcient grip upon the handle in order to operate the same.

In carrying my invention into practice I prefer to further improve on present day methods by equipping the door with a lock calling for an outward pull movement of its actuating member. This construction makes it easier to operate a longitudinal substantially horizontal pin 21.

screw 30 to the hooked extension 3| 2 the lock and also makes it possible to produce more attractive designs and a more pleasing appearance generally, especially in view of the fact that a lock handle calling for angular displacement about a horizontal axis directed transversely of the door requires a recess of larger dimensions than called for by a handle arranged to move only towards and away from the bottom of the recess.

Accordingly, the lock illustrated in said Figs. 1 to 4 comprises a bolt I6, slidably mounted with a housing I5 and having a rear extension I6, said bolt being normally retained in .its locking position by a spring I1.

The bolt is shown formed with an upwardly extending lug I8 against which bears the arm I9 of a crank lever 2l), pivotally mounted about a vertical pin 2I carried by the inner wall of housing I5.

Said crank lever has its other arm 22 connected by a pin 23-to actuating member 24, which member extends outwardly from said pin 23 and through a bushing 25 mounted in the concave wall of cupi member I2.

The outer end of said actuating member 24 is articulately connected to the handle 26, which is shown in the form of an outwardly bulging plate of modernistic design, hinged at its lower end to the cup member I2, so as to be swingable about The connection between member 24 and handle 26 is shown at 28 as of the interengaging hook type, the two members being retained in their connected position by a ring 29, secured by a set of member 26.

In order to make it possible for the actuating member or link 24 to follow the vertical displacement of its point of connection with its handle 26 due to the curve described by said point of connection when the handle is pulled outwardly, the opening in bushing 25 through which member 24 is inserted is made somewhat larger than the diameter of said member 24'so as to allow the necessary play for said actuating member. This also takes care of the displacement in a horizontal plane of the pivotal connection at 23 between member 24 and arm 22 of the bell crank lever, due to the angular displacement of said arm 22 about the pivotal connection 2I between the bell crank lever and housing I5. The pivotal connection at 23 is also made somewhat loose so as to allow some play for the angular displacement of the actuating member in a vertical plane.

By virtue of this arrangement it becomes thus possible to withdraw the bolt member to the position shown in Fig. 3 merely by pulling handle 25 outwardly, causing it to swing about its hinged support 21.

It will be observed that the handle 26 extends across the recess, leaving a clearance 32 between its upper edge and the upper edge of the recess, wide enough to permit easy insertion of the operators ngers within the chamber 33 formed between the bottom of the recess and the inner surface of handle or plate 26. At the same time handle or plate 26 bulges only slightly o-utwardly and is totally free of any projecting extensions or arms.

In order to protect the nish of the structure I prefer to provide the sides of the recess against which the sides of the handle bear with a lining 0r bumper, which may be made of rubber, such as shown at 35.

If desired, means can be provided for retaining the bolt member in its locked position; for instance, the lower surface of the bolt member may be provided with a recess 36', adapted to be entered by the upper end of a sliding dog 31, when said dog is raised to the position shown in Fig. 2 by the rotation of a lock barrel 38. To this end, said lock barrel 38 is shown rotatably mounted in the housing 39 and provided with an eccentric pin 40 projecting through a corresponding slot is dog 31. The operation of barrel 38 can be effected by means of a key insertable at its front end as shown at 4I in Fig. l, a locking action upon said barrel, if desired, being eiected in any well known manner by means mounted within its housing 39, which need not here be described.

The arrangement shown in Figs. 5 to 8 differs from the one just described in that the operating handle 62 is pivotally mounted about a vertically directed pin 63 so that said handle swings in a horizontal instead of a vertical plane.

In the arrangement shown, 66 designates the door provided with a recess 65, said recess being also in this case preferably lined by a cup'` member 46 having its flanged portion 61 flush with the outer surface of the door.

The bottom of said cup member is` provided with a bushing 48 having a passage 49, through which extends the actuating member 5I). The

outer end of said actuating member is engaged by the hub portion 5I of handle 62, said hub portion, as stated, being pivotally connected at 63 to the bushing 48. The connection between parts 50 and 5I is such as to allow free play for the angular displacements of the actuating member in a horizontal plane due to the curved paths followed `by its points of connection, as will be understood.

The other parts composing the locking device proper are substantially the same as in the previous case, the bolt 52 being controlled by the crank lever 53, pivotally mounted at 54 to the bolt housing 55 and pivotally connected at 56 to the inner end of the actuating member.

In the construction shown the locking device may be retained in its locking position by an auxiliary locking device which is mounted directly within the actuating member 50. Said locking device consists of a barrel 51, rotatably mounted within the outer end of the actuating member, said barrel having a slot 58 suitably shaped for the insertion of a corresponding key and having at its inner end an eccentrically disposed pin 59, projecting within a corresponding slot provided in a dog 60, slidably mounted within a slot 6I diametrically extending through the body of member 50.

When the bolt is in its locking position shown in Fig. 8, dog 60 registers with a corresponding recess provided in the upper surface of opening 49 in bushing 48, so that by rotating the barrel 51 to the position shown in Fig. 6 the tip end of said dog is caused to enter the recess in the bushing and prevent longitudinal movement of the actuating member 5D.

It will be observed that also in this case the operating handle extends across the recess and has its outer end 62 housed within the recess when the door is closed, so that there are no extensions or points projecting from the surface of the door.

No means are shown in the drawings for operating the bolt from the inside of the car, but it will be understood that a suitable connection may be made between an inner lock handle and the tail end of the bolt, in any well known manner.

It is Within the scope of my invention to connect an operating handle to or to make it integral with the actuating member, without connecting it to the door itself. For instance, an arrangement of this type Will result merely by omitting the hinged connection at 2l of the handle 2B in Figs. 1 to 4. In such case a straight pull can be exerted upon the handle and the actuating member connected thereto, and no provision need be made for any angular displacement of the actuating member in a Vertical plane.

It is obvious that the operative connections between the handle and the locking member or bolt may be different from those shown merely by Way of example, so long as they are suitable for the purpose, although I have found the arrangements shoWn and described entirely satisfactory.

The drawings should therefore be understood as being intended for illustrative purposes only, and not in a limiting sense. I, accordingly, reserve the right to carry my invention into practice, in all those Ways and manners which may enter, fairly, into the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: i 1. In the combination oi a door and a latch therefor, a sheet metal cup shaped member pro viding a cavity in the outer face of said door, an operating handle for the latch constituting a closure plate for the cavity, a hinge pivotally connecting a horizontal outer edge of the cupshaped member and a horizontal edge of said handle, the opposite edge of said handle being spaced from the corresponding edge of the recess for the passage of an operators ngers to grip said handle.

2. In the combination of a door and a latch therefor, a sheet metal cup shaped member providing a cavity in the outer face of said door, an operating handle'for the latch spaced from the bottom of said member and constituting a. closure plate for said cavity, a hinge connecting one edge of said handle to an outer edge of said member, another edge of said handle prowding a gripping edge spaced from the proximate edge of the member for the passage of an operators ngers to grip and swing said handle, and a concave depression on the inner face of the handle near the gripping edge to serve as a nger tip rest.

WINSBORO MCCLUNG. 

